Bottle or container seal and closure



Dec. 29, 1964 M. v. FRIEDELL BOTTLE 0R CONTAINER SEAL AND CLOSURE Filed Dec. 17, 1962 INVENTOR.

MORLEY M FRIE'DELL United States Patent BOTTLE 0R CONTAINER SEAL AND CLOSURE Morley V. Friedeil, Wheat Ridge, (3010., assignor, by

direct and mesne assignments, of thirty-three and onethird percent to Lucille B. Hamm, thirty percent to Bob E. Hamm, and thirty percent to William B. Burch,

all of Lakewood, C'olo., and six and two-thirds percent to Doyle D. Hendrickson, Katherine M. Hendrickson,

Keith C. Moslrau, and Hattie N. Moskau- -Filed Dec. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 245,139 4 Claims. (Cl. 21546) This invention relates to an improved container sealand closure of the't'ype whichcan be opened with ones fingers and without the use of a separate implement, and particularly to a"crown cap for bottles which can be opened without the use of a bottle opener.

' Tear-type seals have been usedon containers and have been proposed for crown caps on bottles. They have not been satisfactory because it is diflicult to uniformly weaken a tear strip on a crown cap so that a person without good gripping strength can succeed in opening the cap. There is no mechanical advantage, such as that produced by a lever, in the operation of opening of a tear-type seal. Furthermore, such seals are hazardous in that the accidental slippage of ones fingers on the sheet metal while opening a tear-type seal often results in a very severe cut.

Accordingly, it is an important object of my invention to provide a cap or seal which can be opened positively with ease and complete safety by a person having less than average strength and without the use of a separate implement. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide such a cap or seal which retains all the desirable qualities of a crown cap or permanent seal which can be made in a conventional manner in a simple stamping operation at very high speeds without the use of appreciable additional material or appreciable increase in cost.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a cap or seal which is particularly adapted for use in a multiple operation bottling machine adapted for making the caps, filling the bottles and capping the filled bottles in successive, continuous operations.

Additional objects, advantages and features of my invention will become apparent from the following detcription, which is given primarily for purposes of illustraiion, and not limitation.

Stated in general terms, the objects of my invention are attained by providing a cap or seal, such as a crown cap, which includes a cap portion, a tang portion integral with the cap portion, and extending outwardly from the periphery thereof, and a seal portion extending around the periphery of the cap portion from one side of the tang portion to the other. A shear line is formed in the cap portion on each side of the tang portion to form a con tinuation of the outline thereof into the cap portion, and a bend line is formed to extend inwardly of the cap portion from the inner end of each of the shear lines, respectively. The bend lines preferably extend toward each other and join at a common point in the cap portion. Furthermore, a bend line preferably is formed to extend from the common point inwardly of the cap portion and substantially across the same.

A more detailed description of a specific embodiment of my invention is given below with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which a crown cap is made showing shear and bend lines;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a formed crown cap showing the cap, tang and seal portions thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the cap shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is aside elevational view of the cap of FIGS. 2

and 3, partially in section, showing the cap sealed in place on the mouth of a bottle;

FIG. 5 is a similar side elevational view showing de FIG. 8 is a side elevational view, partially in section,

taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7, showing the cap-fully opened and released. f I p Referring first to FIG '1, a blank of the approxi: mate shape required is indicated by 10, and as the blank is stamped, a shear line is cut approximately half through the material at 11 A bend line is embossed in the surface at 12, and at lines 13a, meeting the shear lines 11 at points 13. As a matter ofexplanation a shear lineis a sharp V out which assists the metal to tear, while the bend line is a shallow V or round formed to to assist the metal in bending at the desired point.

Referring next to FIGURES 2 and 3, the cap has been formed in the familiar fluted shape, with the shear and bend lines 11, 13a and 12 in the inside. Flutes 14 extend almost completely around the periphery, interrupted by the lever tang 15, which has been formed downward and into a V form, flattened at the end 16 to provide a smooth flat surface for applying pressure thereto, and with a rolled end 17 to eliminate sharp, cutting edges.

In FIGURE 4, the cap is shown as applied to a bottle 18, with the resilient sealing material 19 in place, and flutes 14 formed into the bottle shoulder at 20. Lever tang 15 also has been formed down close to the side of the bottle, to minimize accidental opening during handling.

FIGURE 6 shows the opening operation as it starts. Lever tang 15 is pulled outward and upward, and as this is done, the flutes 14 are first pulled free ofthe rim or bottle shoulder 21 on each side of the tang. On pulling a little further, the metal at shear lines 11 breaks or tears, releasing the cap from complete circumferential restriction. Lever tang 15, being in a V form, is very stiff and acts as a very strong lever.

In FIGURES 7 and 8, the lever tang has been lifted sitll higher, and at this point that opening is completed. The tang has sheared to points 13, and as the tang is lifted, points 13 and the sides of the cap are lifted, as the ce)nter bending line 12 is depressed at point 22 (see FIG. 1 flutes 14 are released from their engagement with bottle lip 21, and the cap is then easily taken 011?.

The main principle involved in the easy opening of this cap is in the use of bending, rather than shear forces. Because of the form of the bending lines 12 and 13a embossed in the cap, as the tang 15 is lifted, the natural tendency is for the top of the cap to assume the shape of the V form shown in FIG. 1 by points 13, 22 and 13, with the'center of the cap being depressed at point 22. The use of the stiifened lever tang 15 also makes it an easy matter to initially shear the cap along lines 11, which then provides the release to complete the operation. Although I have shown this invention as adapted 1 to beverage bottles, it is by no means restricted to this application as the basic principle can-be utilized for other types of seals for various types of containers.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the 5 bottle or container seal and closure of my invention are possible in the light of the above teachings and description. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims my invention can be prac- Patented Dec. 29, 1964 With this bending action occurring in this way, the V periphery thereof, a shear line formedin the cap portion on each side of the tang portion and forming a continuation of the outline thereof into the cap portion, a bend line extending inwardly of the cap portionlfrom the inner end of each of the shear lines respeetiyely, saidfbend lines extending" toward each other. and joining at a common point, a bend line extending inwardly of the cap portion from i the common point and" substantially across the same, and a seal portion extending around'the periphery of the cap portion from one sideof the tang portion to the other. i i

2. A crown cap of the type described a cap portion, a tang portionintegral with the cap pora tion-and extending outwardly from the periphery thereof, a shear line formed in the cap portion on each side of the tang portion and forming a eontinuationof the outline thereof into the cap portion, a bend line extending inwardly of the cap portion from the inner end of each of which comprises the shear'lines respectively, said bend lines extending toward each other and joining at a common point, a bend line extending inwardly of: the cap portion from the common point and substantially across the same, and a fluted seal portion extending around the periphery of the cap portion from one side of the tang portion to the other;

3. A crown cap according to cIaim,2, wherein the tang 7 portion is formed downwardlyof; the cap portion, shaped angularly along its length, and flattened and rolledat its outward end to provide a surface-for comfortable, application off inger pressure thereto 4. A crown cap according to claim 3'in which a resilient liner is seated in'the bottom of the cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CONTAINER SEAL AND CLOSURE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED WHICH COMPRISES A CAP PORTION, A TANG PORTION INTEGRAL WITH THE CAP PORTION AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, A SHEAR LINE FORMED IN THE CAP PORTION ON EACH SIDE OF THE TANG PORTION AND FORMING A CONTINUATION OF THE OUTLINE THEREOF INTO THE CAP PORTION, A BEND LINE EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE CAP PORTION FROM THE INNER END OF EACH OF THE SHEAR LINES RESPECTIVELY, SAID BEND LINES EXTENDING TOWARD EACH OTHER AND JOINING AT A COMMON POINT, A BEND LINE EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE CAP PORTION FROM THE COMMON POINT AND SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS THE SAME, AND A SEAL PORTION EXTENDING AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE CAP PORTION FROM ONE SIDE OF THE TANG PORTION TO THE OTHER. 